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AND THEIR ARCHITECTURE
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the cities of Delhi and Agra were founded, the sculptors who were responsible for the unrivalled architecture of Ahmedabad in the 14th century hailed from Gujarat and especially from the families of artisons who had been building Jaina temples. And are not the Gujarāti masons repairing the shrines at Rāṇakpur and Girnār even at present?
Mr. Nawab has made the collection of the pictures of sculptures and has tried to secure the photos of as many ancient monuments as he could. On comparing this collection with specimens of Buddhist art we find that the majority of the latter are of a uniform pattern inspired by an imperialistic tendency, whereas in the former we find that sculptors of various provinces had been used with a broad mind and that they were patronized by the Jainas. If you see the pillars in the cave at Uparkot (Junagadh), you will find that their workmanship is in no way related to the local Gujarāt Architecture. The Buddhist images also seem to have emanated from and to have been inspired by one central school of sculpture. But Jaina architecture and images of various types emanated from Gujarāt itself.
This Volume contains many illustrations secured and studied independently by Mr. Nawab. Personally I know many difficulties he had to surmount in collecting, coordinating and publishing all his material. I am very eager to see how the very rich community of Gujarāt appreciates in a suitable manner the cultural service rendered to them by one of their own religion. If a worker like Mr. Nawab were backed by competent assistants, photographers, draftsmen and finenciers I am sure he would be much more useful not only to the Jainas of Gujarāt but to all the peoples of India.
"Our art of fashioning images and statues is imbued with cultural and spiritual teachings of every age. It had once developed all over the world but is now an object of neglect. It is our duty to study it properly and to revise it." Bharatiya-Mürtikalā (Sri-Rāmakřishṇadāsa).
RAVISHANKAR RAVAL.
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